Panthers win sixth straight

Olli Jokinen scored a power-play goal 7:12 into the third period, stretching the Florida Panthers’ winning streak to a season-high six and handing the New York Rangers their first regulation loss in more than a month, 3-2 Friday night in Sunrise, Fla.

The Rangers had been 10-0-3 since a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Feb. 7.

Florida’s winning streak is the third longest in team history.

Rostislav Olesz and Jassen Cullimore also scored for Florida, which is making a push for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Panthers have 76 points, three fewer than eighth-place Philadelphia.

Dan Girardi and Scott Gomez scored for the Rangers, sixth in the East with 83 points.

Florida’s Tomas Vokoun stopped 30 shots, two more than Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers.

Jokinen’s goal was his first in nine games. With Martin Straka in the penalty box for hooking, Steve Montador took a shot from the point that Lundqvist couldn’t glove. Jokinen dug the puck out of a crowd in front and scored his 31st of the season.

Sabres 7, Hurricanes 1: At Buffalo, N.Y., Derek Roy had two goals and an assist, giving new life to the Sabres’ playoff hopes in a win over Carolina.

Buffalo scored four goals on its first seven shots, snapping a four-game skid and creeping within two points of eighth-place Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

•Hurricanes forward Ray Whitney, formerly with the Spokane Chiefs, will have ankle surgery today and may miss the rest of the regular season.

Capitals 4, Thrashers 1: At Washington, Brooks Laich scored two goals and Alex Ovechkin and Matt Cooke each had a goal and an assist to lead the Capitals to a win over Atlanta.

Sharks 4, Blues 1: At San Jose, Calif., Milan Michalek scored on the opening shift and the Sharks added three more goals in their highest-scoring period of the season as they coasted to a win over St. Louis.

Blackhawks 6, Blue Jackets 3: At Columbus, Ohio, Cam Barker, Patrick Kane and Andrew Ladd paced Chicago with a goal and an assist each, and the Blackhawks snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Columbus.

Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for Chicago.

Crosby remains out

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sydney Crosby said he will miss another week to recover from a high-ankle sprain.